Daily Lessons for Teaching The Unvanquished: The Corrected Text

Lesson 1

Objective: Ambuscade: Chapters 1-4
In "Ambuscade", Bayard lives an idealist childhood. Part of this is to due with his home: Mississippi before the Civil War and fairly good relationships with the slaves. In this lesson, discuss the affect of idealism and childhood portrayed in "Ambuscade."

1) 1) Data Collection: Ask the class to list aspects of Bayard's childhood and explain why they are "normal" or what about them is almost surreally idealist and why.

2) Class Discussion: Why does Bayard live in a world of perfection? How much of this is his perception? Is Bayard's world "perfect" and innocent almost to the point of cliché? Why do you believe Faulkner wrote it this way? In a world this perfect, can we only assume there will be some darker turn? What will that turn be? What about Ringo? Is the relationship between him and Bayard perfect? Is there still a clear...